The North Florida Bicycle Club brings you a one-day bicycle event designed for all road cyclists,the 28th Annual Tour de Forts Classic.

Come ride with us in the footsteps of history on coastal roads past the Castillo de San Marcos to Fort Matanzas. On the longer routes ride through farmlands, on the Palatka-to-St. Augustine State Trail and along the St. Johns River.

Day-of-Event Schedule

Doors open for ride packet pick up at St. Augustine High School cafeteria including:

Day-of-ride registration

Wristband ID

T-shirt

Jersey

Maps

7:30 am

8:00 am

Riders (100, 77, 59, and 40 milers) will be released in groups of 40-50 by pace

23 mph+

21-23 mph

18-21 mph,

14-17 mph

12-14 mph

8:00 am

26 mile riders released

8:15 am

All riders should have started. Sweeps released.

10:30 am

4:30 pm

Lunch served in cafeteria.

4:30 pm

All services end.

Rider release plan

All 40, 59, 777, and 100 mile riders should line up according to the pace they expect to ride, with faster cyclists (23+ mph pace) up front and slower cyclists (12-14 mph) toward the back. Cyclists will be released at short intervals in groups of about fifty. Teams and groups of friends should be side-by-side at the start and request that the rope handlers keep you together.

To divide riders into groups, we will have two sets of rope handlers. When it is safe to go, the front rope will be dropped and the back rope moved to the front as riders in the front group depart. The ropes will be passed over your heads to form the next group. Please assist the rope handlers so the release goes smoothly and efficiently.

We will release 26 mile riders as a group after longer distance riders have left but no later than 8:00 AM.

Safety Instructions

SAFETY IS THE TOP PRIORITY AT NORTH FLORIDA BICYCLE CLUB EVENTS

Your behavior on the ride will affect not only your personal safety but also the safety of those around you. The success of this event depends on every one of us behaving responsibly and taking care of ourselves and one another.

Please download and review the following safety information before the ride:

Safety Not Speed-presentation with pictures that highlight various cautions and hazards along the routes. Be informed before riding!

This is a ride and not a race.

Tour de Forts Classic is an open course on public roads. Be cautious at all road crossings and obey all traffic signs and signals and police officers. Ride defensively. Don't assume motorists or other cyclists will do the right thing.

Be courteous to other riders and motorists.

All riders must wear helmets.

Ride predictably.

Obey all traffic laws including all traffic signals and signs. Bicycles on public roadways in Florida are considered vehicles and must follow all the traffic rules common to all drivers.

Call out and use Florida-approved hand signals when turning left or right, slowing or stopping

Do not ride more than two abreast. Ride single file if by riding two abreast, you would impede traffic.

Call out hazard & dangers to other cyclists.

Do not overlap wheels. Ride no closer than a bicycle wheel-length to the rider in front of you. Think feet, not inches between bikes.

Be cautious about joining a paceline with riders you are unfamiliar with.

Pass other cyclists on the left, calling out “On your left” before you overtake another cyclist.

Do not wear headphone while bicycling or text or answer cell phones.

Do not use aerobars while riding in a paceline.

Follow directions from all ride support personnel including police, SAG drivers and ride marshals.

If it is safe, move a downed rider off the road or out of the bike lane. If not, direct traffic around them.

Call (904) 515-3275 for SAG support and less urgent situations.

Get off the road or out of the bike lane to attend to mechanical issues such as a flat tire.

Weather advisory

The ride will proceed rain or shine.

We are hopeful for a beautiful day but weather can change quickly in Florida.

In case of thunderstorms take cover until the storm passes. If no cover is readily available, get off your bike and crouch as low as possible. Avoid sheltering under tall trees.

Get off the road during heavy rain as bicycles are not clearly visible to traffic under these conditions.

Parking

Please approach the school from Lewis Speedway, turning onto Varella. Follow the directions of the volunteers who will direct you to the lots.

Parking is available at the north and south ends of the High School and on either side of the circle in the front of the school. You may also park on the grass on Varella Ave in front of the school and on School House Road. On Varella the grass is wide enough that you should be able to park head in.

Volunteers should park in the south lot. There is also parking available in the strip mall just north of Varella on Lewis Speedway.

Do not park in the church lot at the corner of Varella and Del Monte.

Please be considerate of your fellow cyclists; parking will be sufficient but tight.

From friendly bed and breakfast inns to posh resorts, St Augustine is home to Northeast Florida's best variety of lodging options.

DoubleTree by Hilton: Rooms are blocked under “North Florida Bicycle Club” with group code: NFB. Room rates are $235/night for Friday and Saturday and a discounted rate of $145/night for Sunday, Rooms must be reserved by the cutoff date of 3/26/19.

NFBC Pedaling for Safety Campaign

A portion of your registration fee will go to support our Pedaling for Safety Campaign. There is no additional fundraising required for this event.

Pedaling for Safety's mission is to promote safety for people who bicycle along Florida's First Coast. Our vision is zero fatalities or serious injuries from bicycling in our region.

Please consider making an additional contribution to support our efforts as you complete the registration process.

Start Location

Sponsors

Cancellation Policy

Sorry, but there is no rain date and we cannot offer refunds. The event takes place, rain or shine. You may purchase cancellation insurance during the registration process.

If for some reason you cannot attend the ride after registering, you can have someone pick up your T-shirt or socks for you at the ride or you can pick it up at the next scheduled NFBC club meeting. Otherwise, it becomes the property of the club.

This is a Rain or Shine event. No refunds or transfers.

The safety of our participants and volunteers is our most important concern and if any of the threatening weather conditions are present the day of the event (tornado warning, tornado watch, thunderstorm, heavy rain or a hurricane decides to visit), the event may be delayed or canceled.

When weather conditions or other physical conditions present a danger to participants, such conditions fall under the label “acts of mother nature,” it will not result in refunding of any event entry fees or future event credits, since funds were already spent in preparation for your event day.